Packaging method involving rearrangement of dice

ABSTRACT

A packaging method is disclosed that comprises attaching a plurality of dice, each having a plurality of bonding pads disposed on an active surface, to an adhesive layer on a substrate. A polymer material is formed over at least a portion of both the substrate and the plurality of dice and a molding apparatus is used on the substrate to force the polymer material to substantially fill around the plurality of dice. The molding apparatus is removed to expose a surface of the polymer material and a plurality of cutting streets is formed on an exposed surface of the polymer material. The substrate is removed to expose the active surface of the plurality of dice.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/173,936. And This application claims priority to Taiwan Patent Application No. 096130411, filed Aug. 17, 2007, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the field of semiconductor processing. More particularly, the present invention relates to a packaging method for semiconductor integrated circuit devices.

BACKGROUND

Miniaturizing semiconductor dice has been an increasing trend for various functions. These miniaturized semiconductor dice are increasingly provided with more and more input/output (I/O) pads within a smaller region, so the density of metal pins increases. Thus, the package technology of lead frames has been replaced by the technology of, for example, ball grid arrays (BGAs).

Advantages of BGAs include a compact form, increased density, and an arrangement allowing solder connections that are less subject to damage and distortion. With a variety of integrated circuit-based products in fashion, such as cell phones, personal data assistants, and MP3 players, the products are typically equipped with at least one systemic chip within a smaller volume.

A wafer level package (WLP) has been developed to package a wafer prior to sawing (i.e., dicing). For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,051 discloses one type of wafer level package. However, for WLP, increasing numbers of bonding pads, coupled with commensurate reduced pitches, result in signal coupling and noise. In addition, the reliability of the package may be reduced because of the reduced pitches. Thus, WLP may not satisfy the needs of smaller dice fabricated with smaller design rules.

In an attempt to resolve the issue, U.S. Pat. No. 7,196,408 discloses a method relating to the semiconductor packaging process. A plurality of good dice, after testing and sawing, is rearranged on another substrate for a sequential packaging process. The rearranged dice have wider pitches for suitable distribution of bonding pads on the dice, such as using a fan-out technology. Such a method attempts to resolve the issues of signal coupling and noise caused by small pitches.

However, for the semiconductor chip with smaller and thinner packaging structures, prior to wafer sawing, the wafer may be processed by a thinning process, such as thinning the wafer in the thickness of 2 to 20 mils (i.e., 50 μm to 500 μm) by backside lapping. Then the wafer is sawn thus becoming individual dice. The thinned dice are rearranged on another substrate. Then, a molding process is applied on the thinned dice to form a molding structure. Because both the dice and the molding structure are greatly thinned, the stress from the molding structure itself causes warpage after the substrate is separated from the molding structure. The warpage of the molding structure may make a subsequent sawing process difficult. Accordingly, what is needed is a packaging method for die rearrangement that efficiently resolves the issue of warpage in a molding package.

SUMMARY

In an exemplary embodiment, a packaging method is disclosed. The packaging method comprises attaching a plurality of dice, each having a plurality of bonding pads disposed on an active surface, to an adhesive layer on a substrate. A polymer material is formed over at least a portion of both the substrate and the plurality of dice and a molding apparatus is used on the substrate to force the polymer material to substantially fill around the plurality of dice. The molding apparatus is removed to expose a surface of the polymer material and a plurality of cutting streets is formed on an exposed surface of the polymer material. The substrate is removed to expose the active surface of the plurality of dice.

In another exemplary embodiment, a packaging method is disclosed. The packaging method comprises attaching a plurality of dice where each of the plurality of dice has a plurality of bonding pads disposed on an active surface, to an adhesive layer on a substrate, using a molding apparatus on the substrate to form a space, injecting a polymer material into the space to substantially fill around the plurality of dice, removing the molding apparatus to expose a surface of the polymer material, forming a plurality of cutting streets on an exposed surface of the polymer material, and removing the substrate to expose the plurality of bonding pads on the active surface of each of the plurality of dice to complete a package structure.

In another exemplary embodiment, a packaging method is disclosed. The packaging method comprises attaching a plurality of dice where each of the plurality of dice has a plurality of bonding pads disposed on an active surface to an adhesive layer on a substrate. The adhesive layer has a plurality of ribs disposed thereon. A polymer material is formed over at least portions of both the substrate and the plurality of dice and a molding apparatus is used on the substrate to force the polymer material to substantially fill around the plurality of dice. The molding apparatus is removed to expose a surface of the polymer material and the substrate is removed to expose the active surface of the plurality of dice and a plurality of slots on the polymer material.

In another exemplary embodiment, a packaging method is disclosed. The packaging method comprises attaching a plurality of dice where each of the dice has a plurality of bonding pads disposed on an active surface to an adhesive layer on a substrate having a plurality of ribs disposed thereon, using a molding apparatus on the substrate to form a space, injecting a polymer material into the space to fill substantially around the plurality of dice, removing the molding apparatus to expose a surface of the polymer material, and removing the substrate to expose the active surface of the plurality of dice and a plurality of slots on the polymer material.

In another exemplary embodiment, a packaging method is disclosed. The packaging method comprises attaching a plurality of dice where each of the plurality of dice has a plurality of bonding pads disposed on an active surface to an adhesive layer on a substrate, forming a polymer material over at least a portion of both the substrate and the plurality of dice, using a molding apparatus on the substrate to force the polymer material to substantially fill around the plurality of dice where the molding apparatus has a first plurality of ribs formed thereon, removing the molding apparatus to expose a surface of the polymer material and a plurality of slots formed therein, and removing the substrate to expose the active surface of the plurality of dice.

In another exemplary embodiment, a packaging method is disclosed. The packaging method comprises attaching a plurality of dice where each of the plurality of dice has a plurality of bonding pads disposed on an active surface to an adhesive layer on a substrate, using a molding apparatus having a first plurality of ribs formed thereon on the substrate to form a space, injecting a polymer material into the space to substantially fill around the plurality of dice, removing the substrate to expose the active surface of each of the plurality of dice and a plurality of slots formed on the polymer material, and removing the substrate to expose the active surface of the plurality of dice.

In another exemplary embodiment, a packaging structure is disclosed. The packaging structure is formed by a packaging method of dice rearrangement, wherein the packaging method comprises attaching a plurality of dice, each having a plurality of bonding pads disposed on an active surface, to an adhesive layer on a substrate, using a molding apparatus on the substrate to form a space. The molding apparatus has a plurality of ribs formed thereon. A polymer material is injected into the space to substantially fill around the plurality of dice. The substrate is removed to expose the active surface of each of the dice and a plurality of slots formed on the polymer material. The package structure is characterized by exposed portions of the polymer material having circular-arc blunt angles of exposed portions of the plurality of dice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The appended drawings merely illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention and must not be considered as limiting its scope.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of dice located on a substrate prior to sawing and rearranged on another substrate after sawing.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are cross-sectional diagrams illustrating an exemplary embodiment in accord with the present invention.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C are cross-sectional diagrams illustrating another exemplary embodiment in accord with the present invention.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C are cross-sectional diagrams illustrating another exemplary embodiment in accord with the present invention.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are cross-sectional diagrams illustrating another exemplary embodiment in accord with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In various exemplary embodiments described herein, a packaging method involving rearrangement of sawn dice is disclosed. The packaging method eliminates stress in a packaged die thus minimizing or eliminating distortion after the substrate is removed. Thus, the yield and reliability of the packaged dice are enhanced.

In a specific exemplary embodiment, the dice derived from a 12-inch (300 mm) wafer are rearranged on the substrate of an 8-inch (200 mm) wafer. Packaging equipment for the 8-inch wafer (200 mm) may thus be utilized, reducing packaging costs. In other embodiments, all of the packaged dice are known good ones thus reducing packaging and manufacturing costs.

In other embodiments, a packaging method for dice rearrangement is disclosed which re-disposes dice on another substrate for packaging. The following illustrations and specification describe details of the process or steps for understanding the present invention.

In many modern semiconductor packaging processes, a wafer or other substrate which has been fabricated by a front end process subsequently undergoes a thinning process reducing the thickness of the wafer down to about 2 to 20 mil (50 μm to 500 μm). A sawing process is then performed on the wafer to form a plurality of dice 110 as noted in FIG. 1. The plurality of dice 110 is transferred from the wafer (e.g., a 12-inch (300 mm) wafer) on the right with a pick and place handler to a separate substrate 100 on the left.

As indicated in FIG. 1, there are fewer of the plurality of dice 110 on the substrate 100 than on the original substrate on the right since only known-good dice are transferred. Thus, there are wider pitches among the plurality of dice 110 on the substrate 100 than prior to sawing. Thus, the now-rearranged plurality of dice 110 each has a wider pitch for a subsequent deposition of bonding pads (not shown). Moreover, the dice saw from the 12-inch (300 mm) wafer may be rearranged on, for example, an 8-inch (200 mm) wafer and implemented by conventional package equipment for 8-inch (200 mm) wafers without setting new equipments for 12-inch (300 mm) wafers.

It is noted that various embodiments of the present invention are not limited to 8-inch (200 mm) wafers. Any substrate which may support dice and be in any shape, such as glass, quartz, ceramic, PCB, or metal foil, may be utilized for the substrate 100 of FIG. 1.

With reference to FIG. 2A, a cross-sectional diagram corresponding to section line A-A of FIG. 1 includes an adhesive layer 200 deposited on the substrate 100. The adhesive layer 200 may be, for example, an elastic material such as silicone rubber, silicone resin, elastic polyurethane, porous polyurethane, acrylic rubber, or a die-sawing gel.

The plurality of dice 110 is transferred with a pick and place device to the adhesive layer 200 on the substrate 100. In a specific exemplary embodiment, the plurality of dice 110 are flip-chip devices thus enabling a plurality of bonding pads 111 of an active surface to attach to the adhesive layer 200 on the substrate 100. In another exemplary embodiment, non flip-chip devices may simply be inverted prior to attachment to the adhesive layer 200.

A polymer material 400 is formed over at least a portion of both the substrate 100 and the plurality of dice 110. A molding apparatus 500 is capped over the polymer material 400 thus effectively planarizing and forcing the polymer material 400 to fill around and cover the plurality of dice 110. The polymer material 400 may be, for example, silicone, epoxy, acrylic, or benzocyclobutene-based (BCB) material.

The now-planarized polymer material 400 may be cured by, for example, a baking process. Once cured, the polymer material 400 is removed from the molding apparatus 500 by a demolding procedure, known independently in the art, to expose the planar surface of the polymer material 400.

Referring now to FIG. 2B, a plurality of cutting streets 410 is made out into the surface of the polymer material 400 by cutting or sawing. In a specific exemplary embodiment, each of the plurality of cutting streets 410 has a depth about 0.5 to 1 mil (12.7 μm to 25.4 μm) and a width of about 0.5 to 1 mil (12.7 μm to 25.4 μm). In a specific exemplary embodiment, the plurality of cutting streets 410 may be crossed orthogonally with one another for the reference of sawing a wafer.

The polymer material 400 is then separated from the adhesive layer 200 by, for example, dipping the polymer material 400 and the substrate 100 into a tank containing de-ionized water to form a package structure. A resulting package structure then may include a covered one of the plurality of dice 110 and exposes the plurality of bonding pads 111 of the active surface.

Because of the existence of the plurality of cutting streets 410, any stress on the package structure is eliminated after separation of the polymer material 400 and the substrate 100. Accordingly, the warpage problem of the prior art is resolved.

With reference now to FIG. 2C, a plurality of elongated metal lines 120 are formed on and electrically coupled on one end to select ones of the plurality of bonding pads 111 of each of the plurality of dice 110. The other ends of the plurality of elongated metal lines 120 form a plurality of conductive elements 130, such as, for example, solder balls. Individual ones of the plurality of dice 110 are sawn to complete the packaging process. A skilled artisan will note that each one of the plurality of dice 110 in this embodiment has covered surfaces and only the active surfaces are exposed through the plurality of bonding pads 111.

In various embodiments described above, formation of a planarized version of the polymer material 400 may be implemented by a molding process. The molding apparatus 500 is capped on the substrate 100 forming a space from the plurality of dice 110 into which the polymer material 400 may be injected. The polymer material may be an epoxy molding compound (EMC). The molding apparatus 500 may further force the polymer material 400 to fill around and cover each one of the plurality of dice 110.

Referring now to FIG. 3A, another embodiment of the present invention includes the adhesive layer 200 disposed on the substrate 100 with a plurality of ribs 210 formed on the adhesive layer 200. In a specific exemplary embodiment, a portion of the plurality of ribs 210 is crossed orthogonally with respect to one another. As noted above, the adhesive layer 200 may be formed from, for example, silicone rubber, silicone resin, elastic polyurethane, porous polyurethane, acrylic rubber, or a die-sawing gel. The plurality of ribs 210 may be formed from, for example, silicone rubber, silicone resin, elastic polyurethane, porous polyurethane, acrylic rubber, polyimide, or a die-sawing gel.

Each of the plurality of dice 110 is transferred from a pick and place device to both the adhesive layer 200 on the substrate 100 and among the plurality of ribs 210. In a specific exemplary embodiment, the plurality of dice 110 are flip-chip devices thus enabling a plurality of bonding pads 111 of an active surface to attach to the adhesive layer 200 on the substrate 100. In another exemplary embodiment, non flip-chip devices may simply be inverted prior to attachment to the adhesive layer 200.

A polymer material 400 is formed over at least a portion of both the substrate 100 and the plurality of dice 110. A molding apparatus 500 (FIG. 2A) is capped over the polymer material 400 thus effectively planarizing and forcing the polymer material 400 to fill around and cover the plurality of dice 110. The polymer material 400 may be, for example, silicone, epoxy, acrylic, or benzocyclobutene-based (BCB) material.

The polymer material 400 may alternatively be formed by a molding process. The molding apparatus 500 (FIG. 2A) is capped on the substrate 100 forming a space from the plurality of dice 110 into which the polymer material 400 may be injected. The polymer material may be an epoxy molding compound (EMC). The molding apparatus 500 may further force the polymer material 400 to fill around and cover each one of the plurality of dice 110.

The now-planarized polymer material 400 may be cured by, for example, a baking process. Once cured, the polymer material 400 is removed from the molding apparatus 500 by a demolding procedure, known independently in the art, to expose the planar surface of the polymer material 400 as indicated in FIG. 3B.

The polymer material 400 is then separated from the adhesive layer 200 by, for example, dipping the polymer material 400 and the substrate 100 into a tank containing de-ionized water to form a package structure. A resulting package structure then may include a covered one of the plurality of dice 110 and exposes the plurality of bonding pads 111 of the active surface and a plurality of slots 220 formed by the plurality of ribs 210, as indicated in FIG. 3C. Because of the existence of the plurality of slots 220, stress on the package structure is eliminated after the separation of the polymer material 400 and the substrate 100.

With reference now to FIG. 3C, a plurality of elongated metal lines 120 are formed on and electrically coupled on one end to select ones of the plurality of bonding pads 111 of each of the plurality of dice 110. The other ends of the plurality of elongated metal lines 120 form a plurality of conductive elements 130, such as, for example, solder balls. Individual ones of the plurality of dice 110 are sawn to complete the packaging process. A skilled artisan will note that each one of the plurality of dice 110 in this embodiment has covered surfaces and only the active surfaces are exposed through the plurality of bonding pads 111.

With reference now to FIG. 4A, another exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes the adhesive layer 200 disposed on the substrate 100. As noted above, the adhesive layer 200 may be silicone rubber, silicone resin, elastic polyurethane, porous polyurethane, acrylic rubber, or a die-sawing gel.

Each of the plurality of dice 110 is transferred from a pick and place device to both the adhesive layer 200 on the substrate 100 and among a plurality of ribs 510. In a specific exemplary embodiment, the plurality of dice 110 are flip-chip devices thus enabling a plurality of bonding pads 111 of an active surface to attach to the adhesive layer 200 on the substrate 100. In another exemplary embodiment, non flip-chip devices may simply be inverted prior to attachment to the adhesive layer 200.

A polymer material 400 is formed over at least a portion of both the substrate 100 and the plurality of dice 110. A molding apparatus 500 is capped over the polymer material 400 thus effectively planarizing and forcing the polymer material 400 to fill around and cover the plurality of dice 110. The polymer material 400 may be, for example, silicone, epoxy, acrylic, or benzocyclobutene-based (BCB) material.

The polymer material 400 may alternatively be formed by a molding process as indicated in FIG. 4B. The molding apparatus 500 with the plurality of ribs 510 is capped on the substrate 100 forming a space from the plurality of dice 110 into which the polymer material 400 may be injected. The polymer material may be an epoxy molding compound (EMC). The molding apparatus 500 may further force the polymer material 400 to fill around and cover each one of the plurality of dice 110.

The now-planarized polymer material 400 may be cured by, for example, a baking process. Once cured, the polymer material 400 is removed from the molding apparatus 500 with the plurality of ribs 510 by a demolding procedure, known independently in the art, to expose a plurality of slots 520 formed by the plurality of ribs 510 formed on the molding apparatus 500.

The polymer material 400 is then separated from the adhesive layer 200 by, for example, dipping the polymer material 400 and the substrate 100 into a tank containing de-ionized water to form a package structure. A resulting package structure then may include a covered one of the plurality of dice 110 and exposes the plurality of bonding pads 111 of the active surface and a plurality of slots 520 formed by the plurality of ribs 510, as indicated in FIG. 4C. Because of the existence of the plurality of slots 520, stress on the package structure is eliminated after the separation of the polymer material 400 and the substrate 100.

With reference now to FIG. 4C, a plurality of elongated metal lines 120 are formed on and electrically coupled on one end to select ones of the plurality of bonding pads 111 of each of the plurality of dice 110. The other ends of the plurality of elongated metal lines 120 form a plurality of conductive elements 130, such as, for example, solder balls. Individual ones of the plurality of dice 110 are sawn to complete the packaging process. A skilled artisan will note that each one of the plurality of dice 110 in this embodiment has covered surfaces and only the active surfaces are exposed through the plurality of bonding pads 111.

A sawing process is performed to singulate individual dice, thus completing the packaging process. In the molding process of various embodiments of FIGS. 4A-4C, the molding apparatus 500 with the plurality of ribs 510 is used to cap the substrate 100. When the polymer material 400 is injected, the plurality of ribs 510 enable formation of air chambers around each enclosed corner of the plurality of dice 110 causing the formation of a circular-arc blunt angle structure 115, as noted in FIG. 4C.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are another exemplary embodiment of a packaging method in accord with the present invention and is a combination of various portions of embodiments described above with reference to FIGS. 3A and 4A. Using a combination of methods disclosed above, a plurality of upper 220 and lower 520 slots are formed on a top and bottom surface, respectively, of the polymer material 400. The plurality of upper 220 and lower 520 slots eliminates stress on the package structure, thus preventing any distortion or warpage.

As noted above with regard to similar steps in other exemplary embodiments, a plurality of elongated metal lines 120 are formed on and electrically coupled on one end to select ones of the plurality of bonding pads 111 of each of the plurality of dice 110. The other ends of the plurality of elongated metal lines 120 form a plurality of conductive elements 130, such as, for example, solder balls. Individual ones of the plurality of dice 110 are sawn to complete the packaging process. A skilled artisan will note that each one of the plurality of dice 110 in this embodiment has covered surfaces and only the active surfaces are exposed through the plurality of bonding pads 111.

The present invention is described above with reference to specific embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident to a skilled artisan that various modifications and changes can be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

For example, particular embodiments describe a number of package arrangements. A skilled artisan will recognize that these package arrangements and materials may be varied and those shown herein are for exemplary purposes only in order to illustrate the novel nature of the packaging and resulting stress reduction or elimination concepts. Other materials, known independently in the art, may be utilized to form various features described herein.

Additionally, a skilled artisan will further recognize that the techniques described herein may be applied to any type of chip mounting system whether or not a thin chip is employed. The application to a thin chip in the semiconductor industry is purely used as an exemplar to aid one of skill in the art in describing various embodiments of the present invention.

Moreover, the term semiconductor should be construed throughout the description to include data storage, flat panel display, as well as allied or other industries. These and various other embodiments are all within a scope of the present invention. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. 

1. A packaging method, comprising: providing a plurality of dices, wherein each of said dices has a plurality of bonding pads disposed on an active surface; providing an adhesive layer attached to a substrate, and a plurality of ribs are disposed on said adhesive layer; attaching said dices on aid adhesive layer, wherein each of said dices is flip-chip to be attached to said adhesive layer on said substrate and said dices are separated from each another with said ribs; capping a molding apparatus on said substrate to form a space; injecting a polymer material into said space to fill around said dices and cover each of said dices; removing said mold apparatus to expose a surface of said polymer material; and removing said substrate to expose said active surface of each of said dices and to expose said active surface of each of said bonding pads and to expose a plurality of slots on said polymer material which is formed by said plurality of ribs.
 2. The packaging method according to claim 1, wherein said adhesive layer is an elastic material.
 3. The packaging method according to claim 1, wherein said ribs are formed by an elastic material.
 4. The packaging method according to claim 1, further comprising: curing said polymer material by baking before removing said mold apparatus.
 5. The packaging method according to claim 1, wherein a depth of said plurality of slots is from 0.5 to 1 mil.
 6. The packaging method according to claim 1, further comprising: forming a plurality of electrically connecting devices on said plurality of bonding pads of each said plurality of dices.
 7. The packaging method according to claim 6, wherein said electrically connecting devices are formed by a plurality of steps comprising: forming a plurality of elongated metal lines, each of the plurality of elongated metal lines having a first end electrically coupled to one of the plurality of bonding pads; and forming a plurality of conductive elements on a second end of each the plurality of elongated metal lines.
 8. The packaging method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of dice is selected to be flip-chip devices.
 9. A packaging method, comprising: providing a plurality of dices, wherein each of said dices has a plurality of bonding pads disposed on an active surface; providing an adhesive layer attached to a substrate, and a plurality of ribs are disposed on said adhesive layer; attaching said dices on aid adhesive layer, wherein each of said dices is flip-chip to be attached to said adhesive layer on said substrate and said dices are separated from each another with said ribs; forming a polymer material on said substrate and a portion of said dices; capping a molding apparatus on said polymer material to enforce said polymer material to fill around said dices and cover each of said dices; removing said mold apparatus to expose a surface of said polymer material; and removing said substrate to expose said active surface of each of said dices and to expose said active surface of each of said bonding pads and to expose a plurality of slots on said polymer material which is formed by said plurality of ribs.
 10. The packaging method according to claim 9, wherein said adhesive layer is an elastic material.
 11. The packaging method according to claim 9, wherein said ribs are formed by an elastic material.
 12. The packaging method according to claim 9, further comprising: curing said polymer material by baking before removing said mold apparatus.
 13. The packaging method according to claim 9, wherein a depth of said plurality of slots is from 0.5 to 1 mil.
 14. The packaging method according to claim 9, further comprising: forming a plurality of electrically connecting devices on said plurality of bonding pads of each said plurality of dices.
 15. The packaging method according to claim 14, wherein said electrically connecting devices are formed by a plurality of steps comprising: forming a plurality of elongated metal lines, each of the plurality of elongated metal lines having a first end electrically coupled to one of the plurality of bonding pads; and forming a plurality of conductive elements on a second end of each the plurality of elongated metal lines.
 16. The packaging method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of dice is selected to be flip-chip devices. 